Match Report : 24/09/2013

24 September 2013

REPORT: MAN CITY 5 LATICS 0

Goals from Edin Dzeko, Yaya Toure, Jesus Navas and a Stevan Jovetic double saw Manchester City progress in the Capital One Cup at the Etihad Stadium.

Owen Coyle rotated his squad bringing in nine changes from Sunday's 2-0 victory over Ipswich Town at the DW Stadium, with Lee Nicholls and Juan Carlos Garcia brought in to make their debuts for the club, as Thomas Rogne and Leon Barnett were the only two remaining from the Championship fixture.

City's statement of intent came early, as did Nicholls' determination to prove himself between the sticks, tipping a powerful header from Micah Richards over the bar and then getting up to repeat his heroics to deny Dedryck Boyata.

Latics were pushed back and limited to counter attacks, in which Nouha Dicko was providing the physical battle against Joleon Lescott and Boyata to a high standard, giving the defenders and evening of tough work.

Jordi Gomez provided Latics' best chance of the half when he curled a 30 yard free kick over the cross bar, but Latics had to focus on their defending and did so well until City broke the deadlock through Dzeko on 33 minutes.

Five minutes before Dzeko's goal, City debutant Marcos Lopes sent out a warning shot when he thumped the cross bar, but it was the Bosnian who made it 1-0.

He slipped through the centre backs to beat the offside trap and latch onto Fernandinho's chip over the top, poking the ball past Nicholls.

City eased off a little after their goal and allowed Dicko and Garcia to force the issue down the left and centre, but chances could only fall to Rogne with a header from a free kick and Chris McCann who fired over from range.

The second half tested Latics' back line once again, and it took 15 minutes for City to get a second goal in the game, despite Nicholls pulling off some more impressive stops from Dzeko and Lopes.

It was Montenegro strikr Stevan Jovetic who got his first of the game as he latched onto Richards' cross from the right, forcing Nicholls into a point blank save and rather fortunately seeing the ball bounce back into the goal.

With 15 minutes or so remaining City had their third when a foul and yellow card from Fraser Fyvie allowed half time substitute Yaya Toure to curl a free kick in over the wall.

The hosts added another two in the final 10 minutes of the game, with Jovetic adding his second of the night scoring from close range once more, this time poking the ball home from a half clearance by Ryan Shotton.

Late sub Jesus Navas rounded off City's goals with a thumping low effort at the near post as he was fed down the right by fellow substitute Alvaro Negredo.

Over 500 travelling supporters showed their appreciation for Latics' efforts in a tough game at full time, but it was the home Etihad crowd that went away the happiest as City progressed to the fourth round of the Capital One Cup.